In this review I will be looking at two 850w power supplies, one from the well-known company Be Quiet! and the other being the less well-known Power Cool. I will be comparing features to see how stable they are powering 2 x 680s in SLi and also just how quiet they are when under a heavy load. (more)

With small form factor builds becoming more and more popular let alone more powerful we need a smaller cooler that is capable of keeping even the highest of performance processors cool, enter the Shadow Rock Topflow from Be Quiet, small, compact, high performance and virtually silent. (more)

If you're looking for high quality, reliability, high efficiency and near silent operation you don't have to look much further than Be Quiet. The Straight Power E9 is a product that offers all of the above. (more)

OCZ Technology has announced two new power supplies making up the Silencer MKIII power supply range. With outputs of 750W and 850W the new range is aimed at gamers looking to power a high end gaming PC. (more)

Enermax's most powerful and advanced power supplies are ready to hit the market. The new PLATIMAX power supply series has achieved the highest 80 Plus Platinum accreditation with a maximum efficiency of over 94%. (more)

Antec has today announced the EA-750 Green, the latest addition to its award winning EarthWatts Green power supply range. (more)

Power Supplies from 450W to 650W

PC Power Supply Units

Power supplies (PSU) are often neglected when building a computer system. The power supply distributes the power to all the individual components within the PC, without it your PC would not run. The quality of components and technologies used to manufacture PSUs varies greatly. A poor quality power supply can greatly reduce the lifespan of your components, cause instability and even fail when overloaded. A high quality PSU will provide a more stable, more reliable system that will also produce less noise and heat. The higher quality power supplies will also operate more efficiently reducing your electricity bill and helping the environment. Remember not all power supplies are made equal.

What is a Power Supply and why do I need one? Power supplies (PSU) are often neglected when building a computer system. The power supply distributes the power to all the individual components within the PC, without it your PC would not run. Why is there a price difference between models with the same output? The quality of components and technologies used to manufacture PSUs varies greatly. A poor quality power supply can greatly reduce the lifespan of your components, cause instability and even fail when overloaded. A high quality PSU will provide a more stable, more reliable system that will also produce less noise and heat. The higher quality power supplies will also operate more efficiently reducing your electricity bill and helping the environment. Remember not all power supplies are made equal. What do the wattage ratings mean? The wattage rating on a power supply can be deceptive as it shows the combined wattage across all the rails (basically all the connectors on the PSU are added up for the total power output). With the increased demands by components, the total required output for the +12V line has become increasingly important. A power supply should ideally have at least 18A available on the +12V line. The actual load you will need to get the most out of your components will vary depending on your system specifications. What do power supply efficiency ratings and certifications mean? If a supply loses less than 20% of the total power consumed, then it is considered ‘efficient’. Look for the ‘80Plus’ sticker on modern PSUs. The benefits of more efficient power supplies are lower electricity bills, less harm to the environment and also due to less energy being wasted as heat a cooler and quieter operating PC. There are four 80Plus levels:- - 80 PLUS Bronze: 81%+ efficient - 80 PLUS Silver: 85%+ efficient - 80 PLUS Gold: 88%+ efficient - 80 PLUS Platinum: 90%+ efficient What most people do not realise is the added benefit to a higher efficiency power supply is lower heat output. With less heat the fan on the PSU can keep temperature down allowing for a...